NewJeans fans demand HYBE to reinstate Min Hee Jin as ADOR CEO

On September 4 KST, it was reported in the music industry that 1,445 fans of NewJeans have sent a letter to HYBE demanding the reinstatement of Min Hee Jin as the CEO of ADOR. The letter was addressed to Kim Joo Young, the current CEO of ADOR, as well as ADOR’s internal directors Lee Kyung Joon and Lee Do Kyung, ADOR’s outside director Kim Hak Ja, and HYBE’s newly appointed CEO Lee Jae Sang.

In the letter, the fans expressed their concerns, stating, “We believe that the achievements NewJeans have made in such a short period were the result of close synergy between management and production, and this has been proven through their success. We are worried about any changes or damages to the system and personnel structure of ADOR, which were established under the leadership of former CEO Min Hee Jin, focusing on the growth and support of NewJeans.”

They continued, “This is a crucial time for NewJeans, who are in their third year and in the midst of their growth. With the group preparing for a follow-up album and a world tour next year, it is incomprehensible to exclude former CEO Min Hee Jin, whose capabilities have been proven, and to appoint Kim Joo Young, HYBE’s CHRO, who has no experience in the entertainment industry or demonstrated managerial abilities, as the new CEO.”

The fans also made several demands to HYBE and ADOR, including:

• Prioritizing the opinions of NewJeans members in matters concerning the group.
• Guaranteeing Min Hee Jin’s term until November 2026, as per the shareholder agreement.
• Taking legal action against defamation, insults, and personal information leaks concerning NewJeans members.

Recently, HYBE announced the dismissal of Min Hee Jin from her position as CEO of ADOR, appointing internal director Kim Joo Young as the new CEO. ADOR stated that even though Min Hee Jin would step down, she would continue overseeing the production of NewJeans and retain her position as an internal director at ADOR.

However, Min Hee Jin contested this, claiming she was unilaterally informed of her dismissal and that the terms of the delegation agreement, which asked her to continue her production duties, were unreasonable. According to Min Hee Jin, the contract period stated in the delegation agreement sent by current ADOR CEO Kim Joo Young was only for 2 months and 6 days, ending on November 1st of this year. Min Hee Jin reportedly refused to sign the contract due to its unreasonable terms.

Min Hee Jin’s side has also claimed that her dismissal was an illegal decision that directly violates the shareholder agreement and the injunction prohibiting the exercise of voting rights.

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